The Kevin Costner-inspired pep talk that helped Ajla Tomljanovic topple Serena Williams - US Open diary
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Updated 03/09/2022 at 09:43 GMT
Ajla Tomljanovic will likely go down in history as one of the great pub quiz answers. Who was the player who brought an end to the great Serena Williams' tennis career? The Australian proved to be the party pooper for the raucous New York crowd at Flushing Meadows. What a career the 23-time Grand Slam winner has had, and to bow out on home soil was apt.
US Open highlights: Serena toppled by Tomljanovic, Kyrgios powers on with win over Wolf
Be like Kevin Costner
Of all the things Ajla Tomljanovic expected her father Ratko to tell her before she stepped on Arthur Ashe stadium for her third-round match against Serena Williams, ‘Be like Kevin Costner’, was probably not one of them.
Tomljanovic put in an impressive and clutch performance to defeat Williams 7-5 6-7(4) 6-1 in what seems certain to be the American legend’s final singles match of her career.
The 29-year-old Zagreb-born Australian showed great poise in brutal circumstances, as she took on Williams along with the 24,000-strong crowd that was firmly behind her. Tomljanovic was facing the 23-time Grand Slam champion for the first time and was also making her Arthur Ashe stadium debut, in a primetime night session no less.
Both of Williams’ opening two opponents had spoken about how tough it was to handle the surreal noise emanating from the stands but Tomljanovic somehow made it look easy.
Her father, a former professional handball player, gave his daughter an interesting pep talk before the match.
“I was joking with her, because in my sport, when I was playing, when we played in front of away fans, I played in crazy environments,” Ratko told Eurosport on Friday night.
“They were spitting on us, throwing things, even one match all the spectators went in and it was a fight. So I tried to explain to her that (what she will face against Serena) it’s nothing, it’s just cheering. I was making fun of this.
“But then I also told her there was this great movie with Kevin Costner, I don’t know the name (For the Love of the Game), when he was a pitcher and then he was trying to pitch the perfect game and it’s a scene where he was thinking so clearly and he didn’t see anything except the ball.
“So I tried to explain to her she had to be Kevin Costner today. And she did. She was really focused and she also surprised me a little bit, in a good way.”
Ratko, who has been by his daughter’s side throughout her career, says he wasn’t really stressed during the match and was instead enjoying the whole experience.
“When they finished I went to Ajla and I was laughing and I said, ‘Hopefully really Serena retired, because now Ajla you will have a positive score with her’, because they never played before and now it’s 1 for her and 0 for Serena, and Serena is the greatest ever, so hopefully she really retired. So you have to tell the grandkids, ‘I had a positive score with the GOAT’,” joked the Croatian.
“I told her that now that’s the bar, so you cannot go under it.”
All about family
The Tomljanovic clan are a tight-knit group and both Ajla and Ratko always felt they could relate to the Williamses when it comes to their strong familial bond.
“There are a lot of similarities in this part, not the 23 Grand Slams though,” Ratko added with a chuckle.
Ajla admittedly felt conflicted after pulling off the win over Serena, who is someone the Aussie has looked up to from a very young age.
Ajla is such a huge Serena fan, that she requested an earlier time slot for her opening match on day one, so she could watch the American play her first round against Danka Kovinic.
“What always drew me to them (Serena and Venus) was their bond with their family, like the togetherness,” said Ajla in her press conference.
“They always spoke about that, like it was so important to them. I can relate to that because I'm very close to my family and I wouldn't be where I am without them.
“From a young age I remember seeing them with their dad and thinking that's kind of like my story a little bit. Just the fact that you don't have to have anything other than supportive family, a dream, and just will and passion and love for the game to make it.
“I still have years left in me. I want to dream bigger than I have so far because that's what she embodies.”
Quote of the day
“I just honestly am so grateful that I had this moment and that I'm Serena.”
-- Serena’s final words in her closing press conference.
Tweets of the day
Outfit of the day
Serena’s husband Alexis Ohanian rocked a t-shirt that had a photo of his daughter Olympia cheering on her mom during the second round. Just brilliant!
Point of the day
From his ninja skills at the net to the tweener lob that sealed it, this is an unreal match point from Montreal champion Pablo Carreno Busta, who is through to the US Open last-16 stage for the third time in his career.
Stats of the day
- Corentin Moutet, who lost to Wu Yibing in qualifying, is the first men’s lucky loser on record to reach the US Open fourth round. The French lefty defeated Pedro Cachin 6-3 4-6 6-2 7-5 to set up a last-16 clash with No. 5 seed Casper Ruud. The last lucky loser to reach any Grand Slam fourth round was Stephane Robert at the 2014 Australian Open.
- Liudmila Samsonova defeated Aleksandra Krunic 6-3 6-3 on Friday to extend her winning streak to 13 matches. The Russian has won her last 18 consecutive sets.
- Cincinnati champion Caroline Garcia picked up an 11th victory in a row by easing past 2019 US Open winner Bianca Andreescu 6-3 6-2 to reach the fourth round.
- Matteo Berrettini has reached a sixth consecutive Grand Slam fourth round, and is into the US Open last-16 for a fourth year in a row. The Italian beat 2012 champion Andy Murray 6-4 6-4 6-7(1) 6-3, converting just 5/15 break points.
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